Zen vs Calamine

ZenBehrvsCalamineFarrow & BallΔE 18.1Distinct difference

Zen is a Behr color while Calamine comes from Farrow & Ball. Zen reads as green-grey, while Calamine reads as pink-red — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 68 vs 46, Calamine will read as the brighter of the two — a 22-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. The tonal difference — Zen's green character against Calamine's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 18.1, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Zen vs Calamine in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Zen and Calamine in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.

Living Room

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Calamine returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

ZenBehr Zen hallway

@babyvcakes

CalamineFarrow and Ball Calamine living room paint review

@jo_foresthouse

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Calamine will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Zen would.

ZenBehr Zen bathroom color

@xraylela

CalamineFarrow and Ball Calamine bathroom paint review

@culderryhouse

Color Details

Zen
Behr · PPU11-14
Hex#aabaaf
LRV45.7
BrandBehr
NumberPPU11-14
UndertoneGreen
TemperatureCool
BrightnessMedium
Calamine
Farrow & Ball · 230
Hex#e6d1cb
LRV67.5
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number230
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

Zen vs Calamine Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Zen on one side and Calamine on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.

More Zen comparisons

See how Zen stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

Zen
White Dove
Zen
White Dove
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 83 vs 46, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Ammonite
Zen
Ammonite
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 46), opening up a space where Zen encloses it.

Zen
Iron Ore
Zen
Iron Ore
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 46 vs 6, Zen is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Purbeck Stone
Zen
Purbeck Stone
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Zen
Evergreen Fog
Zen
Evergreen Fog
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Zen reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.

Zen
Mizzle
Zen
Mizzle
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

A 6-point LRV gap (52 vs 46) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.

Zen
Agreeable Gray
Zen
Agreeable Gray
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 46), opening up a space where Zen encloses it.

Zen
Accessible Beige
Zen
Accessible Beige
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 58 vs 46, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Denim Drift
Zen
Denim Drift
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 46 vs 27, Zen is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
French Gray
Zen
French Gray
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

With LRVs of 46 and 43, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Zen
Naval
Zen
Naval
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Zen reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Zen
Tranquil Dawn
Zen
Tranquil Dawn
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

A 9-point LRV gap (55 vs 46) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.

Zen
Bancha
Zen
Bancha
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

At LRV 46 vs 13, Zen is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Hardwick White
Zen
Hardwick White
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 44), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Zen
Pure White
Zen
Pure White
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 46), opening up a space where Zen encloses it.

Zen
Artichoke
Zen
Artichoke
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Zen reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.

Zen
Balboa Mist
Zen
Balboa Mist
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 66 vs 46, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Shoji White
Zen
Shoji White
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 74 vs 46, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Snowbound
Zen
Snowbound
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 46, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Pewter Green
Zen
Pewter Green
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 46 vs 12, Zen is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Skimming Stone
Zen
Skimming Stone
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 68 vs 46, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Dix Blue
Zen
Dix Blue
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Zen reads slightly lighter (LRV 46 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Zen
Treron
Zen
Treron
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Zen reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.

Zen
Vintage Vogue
Zen
Vintage Vogue
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

At LRV 46 vs 12, Zen is decisively the brighter choice.

Zen
Saybrook Sage
Zen
Saybrook Sage
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 45), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Zen
Pale Green
Zen
Pale Green
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Zen reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.

Zen
Pine Needle
Zen
Pine Needle
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Zen reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Zen
Cement grey
Zen
Cement grey
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Zen reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.

Zen
Guilford Green
Zen
Guilford Green
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Guilford Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 57 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Zen
Just Walnut
Zen
Just Walnut
Behr
Zen
PPU11-14 · LRV 46

Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 46), opening up a space where Zen encloses it.